SOCHI, Russia — Anne Schleper was 8 years old when the United States won the first women’s hockey Olympic gold medal in Nagano, Japan, too young to recall the pioneering event that has evolved into 16 years of American frustration.

The former University of Minnesota defenseman from St. Cloud gets her chance to reverse history following a 6-1 dismantling of Sweden on Monday that allowed Team USA to go for gold for the third time since 1998.

“I’m getting goose bumps just thinking about it,” said Schleper, one of 10 first-time Olympians.

In two of the past three Olympics, the Americans have lost the championship to archrival Canada, their opponent again in Thursday’s gold medal game after the Canadians’ 3-1 win over Switzerland. Sweden’s semifinal upset in 2006 left Team USA weeping on their bronze medals in Turin, Italy.

It is a heavy burden Schleper embraces, having internalized the lessons handed down throughout this Olympic process by alumnae — those who succeeded in 1998 and others who failed to repeat that initial success.

“I just think of all the past players. They’re on my mind a lot,” Schleper said. “I’m doing it a lot for them, those that didn’t get the opportunity and those that came up short. Even for the veterans that were there last time and didn’t win it, too. They talk about how that has been a burden the last four years, and we don’t ever want to feel that way again. We have this opportunity. We just have to go and take it.”

In 16 years of international women’s hockey competition, the neighboring countries have won every gold medal.

Canada defeated Team USA 3-2 in a preliminary match, while the Americans won four of seven games during pre-Olympic play.

Team USA has won four of the past five world championships, defeating Canada in five of the past seven meetings between the teams.

Thursday’s inevitable rematch again will leave no doubt about who reigns supreme in women’s hockey.

“I like how our team responded,” U.S. coach Katey Stone said about their dominance of Sweden. “But we’re not finished yet. This is not the time to wait and see what happens. You have to go out and get it.”

Forward Julie Chu played for Harvard and won the 2008 NCAA championship as an assistant coach at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. She is the only U.S. player who has endured the heartache of the past three Olympics, and at 31 years old she is the oldest American on the 2014 roster.

Over the years, Chu has been a goal scorer, captain, fourth-line grinder and den mother. The gold medal loss at Vancouver in 2010 weighs heavily.

“When that buzzer goes off and it erupts in that arena, and we fall short of our goal of being the best in the world, that hurts,” Chu said. “The last four years has been motivation. That’s been driving us. We worked a lot on accountability and really sticking to our game plan. I’m really impressed with this group of athletes I get to call my teammates, my friends, that we go to battle.”

Some would say Chu has the most unfinished business to complete.

“I try not to think about it in that sense,” she said. “The reality is I’m not holding on to the past. I’m focused on this team. It’s not unfinished business because we haven’t yet had a chance to play that game. We will, and we’re excited.”

Monday’s lopsided result raised more questions about the competitive imbalance between the North American powers and every other team. The Americans had a 29-1 shots advantage after one period.

Six players scored, and 15 registered at least one point. Team USA ultimately outshot Sweden 70-9, one shy of the U.S. Olympic record set in a 12-1 victory over China in 2002.

Sweden pulled off its own Miracle On Ice by upsetting the United States in the 2006 Olympic semifinals in Italy, a 3-2 stunner that rocked women’s hockey.

The only miracle during this year’s rematch in Russia was that Swedish goalie Valentina Wallner skated off under her own power after the bombardment. Mercifully, Wallner was pulled midway through the second period after yielding five goals on 47 shots.

“It’s not the U.S. and Canada’s fault they’re good,” said Sweden coach Leif Boork. “I want them to remain good so we have something to look up to.”

Brian Murphy has been on the Pioneer Press sports staff since 2000, migrating from the Detroit Free Press, where he covered police, courts and sports for four years. Murphy was the Minnesota Wild/NHL beat writer from 2002 to 2008 and has covered the Vikings as a reporter and columnist since 2009. Murphy is a Detroit native and Wayne State University graduate.

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